Proposed $664.6 million – a 12% increase – designed to help with rulemaking, guidance, enforcement capacity
U.S. President Joe Biden has proposed spending $664.6 million and 2,246 direct full-time equivalent (FTE) hours for the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OHSA) under Budget 2022.
This marks an increase of $64,217,000 and 362 FTE from Budget 2021.
The President’s budget “restore the department’s capacity to protect the health, safety, rights and financial security of all workers,” said Marty Walsh, secretary of labor, in a statement.
The president is proposing an increase of more than $10 million and 30 FTE to restore OSHA’s rulemaking and guidance capacity which will provide the agency the resources to respond to emerging hazards in a way that puts information into the hands of employers and workers in a timely manner, including protective regulations.
Also, nearly $20 million and 207 FTE will be used to support 155 Compliance Safety and Health Officers (CSHOs) to support strengthening the agency’s enforcement program through policy development and review of case files, including significant and egregious cases, and the development of National Emphasis Programs.
OHSA’s budget for the Whistleblower Protection Program will also increase by $5,343,000 and 63 FTE which will help effectively enforce 25 whistleblower statutes, including the recently added Criminal Antitrust Anti-Retaliation Act and the Anti-Money Laundering Act.
Funding for state programs (+$7.5 million), technical support (+$1.5 million and six FTE) and safety and health statistics (+$2.5 million and five FTE).
There are also increases of $6 million and 45 FTE for Compliance Assistance Specialists to conduct outreach to workers and employers in high-hazard industries, offer training on OSHA industry-specific hazards, and promote OSHA’s suite of cooperative programs; $2,000,000 to expand the On-Site Consultation Program; and $2,000,000 for the Susan Harwood Training Grant Program.
